EDITORIAL: Legislature needs cap on spending

By Enterprise editorial staff

Published 1:00 am, Tuesday, November 20, 2012

The Texas Legislative Budget Board has done a smart thing in preparation for the new session of the Legislature that begins in January. It has set a $77.9 billion cap on the state spending for the 2014-15 budget year. That's a 10-percent increase above the current discretionary spending limit, and it's based on economic forecasts of state revenues over the next two years. It also factors in population growth and inflation.

Some Democrats have objected to the cap, saying they want to spend more on some programs, especially those cut in the last session of the Legislature.

But the Republican-dominated Legislature is not likely to approve any new tax increases, and most Texans don't want them either.

At least lawmakers probably won't have to deal with a budget shortfall, something that had been expected for much of this year. With this cap, they know how much they have to spend, and they should allocate those funds wisely.